Hotel electric call apparatus



8 SheetsSheet 1,

(No Model.)

A. B. CHAN OE. HOTEL ELEGTRIG BALL APPABATUS.

Patented June 8,1897.

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2 t e e h S m e e h s 00 E O N A H G B A a d 0 M 0 W HOTEL ELBGTRIG CALL APPARATUS.

No. 584,17 Patented June 8, 1897.

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Q55 e2 5 Ma! m IIH I N J, x if E (No Model.) 8 SheetsSheet 3. A. B. CHANCE. HOTEL ELECTRIC CALL APPARATUS.

No. 584,173. Patented June 8,1897.

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(No Model.) 8 SheetsSheet 4.

A. B. CHANGE.

HOTEL ELECTRIC G-ALL APPARATUS.

No. 584,173 Patented June 8,1897.

8 Sheets-Sheet; 5.

(No Model.)

A. B. CHANCE.

HOTEL ELECTRIC CALL APPARATUS.

No. 584,173. Patented June 8,1897.

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HOTEL ELECTRIC CALL APPARATUS.

Patented June 8,1897

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{No Model.) 8 SheetsSheet 7. A. B. CHANCE.

HOTEL ELECTRIC CALL APPARATUS.

No: 584,173. Patented June 8,1897.

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(Ho Mod e1.) 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 A. B. CHANCE. HOTEL ELECTRIC CALL APPARATUS.

Alberifi mum's a ike 144M3 5 Patented June 8, 1897.

ROOM 2 1 o clwk UNITED STATES PATENT EEicE.

ALBERT B. CHANCE, OF OENTRALIA, MISSOURI.

HOTEL ELECTRIC CALL APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 584,173, dated June 8, 1897.

Application filed November 23, 1896. Serial No. 613,163. (No model.)

To ctZZ 10. 2.0121, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT l). CHANCE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Centralia, in the county of Boone and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hotel Electric Call Apparatus; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improved call and telephone apparatus and system for use in hotels; and its object is to provide an automatic call by which the occupant or occupants of a room or rooms can be called at any predetermined time.

It is also an object to provide a telephone system by means of which the occupant of a room may communicate with the oi'lice or may communicate with the occupant of any other room without the conversation being overheard by any one in the office.

It is also an object to provide improved firealarm devices by which calls or alarms can be sounded in all the rooms simultaneously from the office, and it is also an object to provide means for electrically winding the clock used in connection with the apparatus.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a front view of the cabinet in the hotel-ofiice used in connection with my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar View of the same, the front be ing opened. Fig. 3 is a centralcross-sectional View of the clock-dial. Fig. l is a rear view of the dial. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional View of the lower part of the cabinet. Fig. 6 is a similar View of the upper portion. Fig. 7 is a detail View of one of the time-pins. Fig. 8

is a similar View of one of the rings which engage therewith. Fig. 9 is a detail elevation, on an enlarged scale, of the clock-winding mechanism. Fig. 9 is a View of one of the pins. Fig. 10 is a view of thetelephone-box.

Figs. 11, 12, 13., and ll are diagrammatic views showing the difierent circuits.

In the said drawings the ref erence-nu meral l designates a cabinet or casing to be located This is preferably in the ollice of the hotel.

made in two sections 2 and 3, hinged to each other at 4 for the purpose of allowing access to be had to the parts in the interior thereof. Supported on the top of this cabinet is a clock 5, provided with any ordinary or suitable movement. (Notshown.)

The numerals 6 and '7 designate the minute and hour hands, respectively, the latter of which has its hub electrically connected by a wire 8 with a battery 9, located in the cabinet.

The numeral 10 designates the clock-dial, which has seen red to it an annulus 12 of nonconducting material, perforated with a number of holes 13. There are preferably fortyeight of these holes, equidistant from each other, and every fourth hole registering with one of the hour-grad nations on the dial. This number of holes will allow calls to be made at intervals of fifteen minutes each, if desired, as will hereinafter appear. Located in these holes are pins ll, secured in place by means of nuts 15, and their front ends project slightly beyond the face of the dial and contact with a platinum spring-arm 16, secured to the hour-hand, as the latter revolves. Connected with each one of these pins is a conducting-wire 17, leading down into the cabinet, as seen more clearly in Fig. 2. Each of these wires is connected with what I term a time-pin 18, of metal or other conducting material. These pins pass through a corresponding number of holes arranged in a circle in the front of the cabinet and are secured in place by nuts 19; also formed in the front of the cabinet are a number of holes 20, corresponding with the number of rooms in which calls are located. There are twentyfour such holes shown in the present instance arranged in two horizontal rows. Passing th *ough these holes are flexible conductors 21, provided at their outer ends with conducting-rings 23, adapted to engage with said timepins. The other ends or": these conductors are seen red to bin ding-posts '24., passing through alined holes in the back 25 of the front section 2 of the cabinet. Small weights 26 are connected with said conductors, which latter pass arou nd pulleys -7, connected therewith, for the purpose of drawing the conductors down when not in use. The rings 23 are larger than the holes 20, so that they cannot pass through said holes when the conductors are thus pulled down.

Secured to the front 28 of the back section 2' of the cabinet are anumber of contactsprings 29, corresponding in'n umber and aline with the binding-posts, so that when said sections are closed they will contact with the binding-posts, so as to make anzelectical connection therebetween. Connected with these springcontacts are conductingwires 30, leading to similar contact-pieces 31 I in the upper part of the casing, which contact with binding-posts 32. I Connected with 7 these binding-posts by wires 34 are a number I ductors 21 are connected. Each of these an-' nunciators consists of a conducting-frame 36', secured to the back ofthe front section 2,

and is provided with a helix 37, the connec tions of which will be hereinafter described. Each frame on its lower side is provided with a hinged oond noting-arm 38, provided with a plate 39, having thereon the number of the room. This plate engages with the bent end of a spring-actuated armature 40, hinged to a conducting-plate 40, secured to but insulated from the frame of the annunciator. Connected with this plate is a Wire 41, lead- "ing to the'switch42 of any ordinary telephone 43.

Each annunciator is thus connected with a telephone in the correspondingly-numbered room, and the room-call batteries are all electrically connected by the line-wires 45.

Below the hinged arms'of the annunciators are horizontal rods 35, pivotally connected with the cabinet, connected with a vertical rod 35, provided'with'an operating-rod 35?,

provided with a knob 35. rod upward the annunciator or drop plates can be elevated to normal position to engage with the armatu res. The said switchisadapted to contact with a wire 46, leading to a battery 47 ,which I term the room-call battery, connected with the call-bell 48 by wire 46. Also connected with said bell is a wire 49, connected with a buzzer 49 of any ordinary construction, which in turn is connected with the battery 9, which I term the clock-battery, by wire 49.

Located in the cabinet is a two-call battery 50, which I term the annunciator-battery, from one terminal'of which extends a Wire 51, connected with a call-bell 52, which is connected by a wire 53 with wire 49. The other terminal of this battery is connected by Wire 54 with a spring-contact 57 (see Fig. 5) in the front of the rear section 2 of the cabinet, which contacts with a binding-post 58, which is connected by wires 59 with one terminal of a series of push-buttons 60, one for each room. The other terminals of the push-buttons are connected with the binding-posts 24 by means of wires 61. Connected with the wire 54 are wires 62, one for each annunciator, which are wound around the helices thereof and extended to and connected with a binding-post By pushing this 63, connected with a telephone-receiver 64 by :wire 63, the other ,wire63" of the receiver being connected with contaet-piece65, adapted to contact with one end of the telephone switch. vAlsoconnected with wires 62 by wires 67 are pi'lsh-buttons 68, which when pressed in establish electrical connection between the wires49 and the wires 62.

Each of the push-buttons is provided with a brass plate 69, provided with a hole 69" to receive the plug 70 of the wire 71 of a re ceiver '7 2, the other wire of which is connected with other terminals of the pushbuttons. At

the lower part of the cabinet is, a shelf '73,

provided with a number of holes 74, passing through which are the ends of flexible conductors 75, having switch-plugs 76 secured to said ends adapted to be inserted in the holes of the plates secured to the push-buttons.

These conductors are conncctedwithsmall pulleys 78, which in turn are connected with weights 79,

Connected with the upper terminals of the push-buttons 60 by wires 80 are spring-contactsSl, secured to theinnerside of the front of the cabinet, and in rear thereof is a hinged I coud noting-bar 82,electrically connected with the binding-post of wire 54by wireSrZ, A

coiled spring 83 presses against this bar 82,

and at its center the cabinet is provided with a pin 84,extending through'the front of the cabinet and bearing against a glass plate 85. This plateserves to keep the bar 82 out of contact with the contact-springsSl until itis I broken, as in the case of a fire, when the spring .83 will press the bar against said contactsprings, establishinga circuit throughthe call-bells of all the rooms and sounding continuous alarms in the rooms.

The cabinet and telephones are provided with transmitters, which may be of any ordinary or suitable construction, and the receivers hang upon the hooks of the switches to cut out the telephones.

For automatically winding the clock when run down I provide the following means: Secured to the winding-shaft of the clock-movement is a sprocket-Wheel 84, connected by intermediate sprocket-chains85 with a train of gearing actuated by a sprocket-pinion 86 on the armature-shaft of a small motor 87, secured to the back of the clock.

The numeral 89 designates a battery, the positive wire 90 of which is connected with a contact-piece 91, secured to the back of the clock. Above this contact-piece is a springcontact 92, from which extend wires 93 to the armature and field magnets of the motor and from thence to the negative pole of battery. Pivoted to a lug secured to the clock-case is a trip-lever 94, provided-with a cam 95, which engages with the spring-contact 92, and connected with this lever is a vertical rod 96, connected with a forked or bifurcated lever 97, pivoted to a log secured to the clock-case. Secured to the winding-shaft of the clock movement is a cord 98, passing over a pulley 99, down between the forks of lever 97, and provided with a weight 100. As the clock runs down the weight will strike lever 94, turning it down, allowing contact-spring 92 to come into contact with piece 91, and establishing the circuit between the battery and the motor, when the latter will rotate the winding-shaft, winding up the cord until the weight comes in contact with the forked lever, which will be tripped, throwing up lever 9i and breaking the circuit.

I will now describe the operation, referring to the diagrammatic Figs. 11, 12, 13, 14, and 1-3, which represent the invention in use with two rooms of. a hotel, the broken lines indicating the circuits;

Supposing that the guest or occupant of room No. 1 desires to be called at two oclock, then the clerk takes the ring 23 of the flexible conductor 21 of said room (see Fig. 11) and engages it with the time-pin 18 come spending with such hour, said pins being numbered like the dial of the clock. As the hour-hand travels around the dial of the clock the platinum spring-contact secured thereto will successively cont-act with the pins 14. hen the said hand reaches the twooclock point, the spring contact or linger contacting withlhe pin 14: at such point will establish a circuit and sound a call in the room.

The circuit is as follows: from clock-battery 9, wire ill", buzzer 49, and wire 49 to call-bell in room, from thence to batter 47, wire 48, switch 452, wire 41, conducting-plate 40, armature 4:0, annuncial or-plate 39, hinged arm 38, frame 36, wires 3i and 30, bindingpost 24, conductor 21,time-pin 18, wire 17, pin 14, spring-contact 16, the hour-hand and its hub, and wire 8 to battery 9, sounding the call in room and the buzzer in office. The occupant of the room then gives a short ring to the oiiice by pushing in push-button in telephonecase, (see Fig. 12,) establishing anew circuit, as follows: from battery 50, wire 51, call-bell 52, wire 53, wire 49, push-button (38, wire 67, wire 62 to ann unciator-helix, magnetizing the same and attracting the armature thereof, which will disengage itself from the armatureplat-e, allowing the hinged bar, to which it is secured, to fall, breaking the clock and call battery circuits. The circuit will then contin ue from helix to wire 62 and wire 54 back to battery. The clerk then disengages the ring of the flexible conductor from the timepin and pushes up the annunciator-plate, so that it will again engage with the armature by means of horizontal rod 35, vertical rod 35", and knob 35.

The clerk can call up the occupant of the room as follows: (see Fig. 14:) He gives the push-button corresponding with the number of the room a. short push, establishing a circuit as follows: from clock-battery 50, wire 51, ball 52, wire 53, wire .9, bell is, battery 47, wire i6, switch 42, wire 41, annunciator and armature, and arm attire-plate, hinged arm 38, annunciator-frame 30, wire 30, binding-post 2%, wire (31, push-button 60, wire 59, wire 54, and back to battery. The plug 7'0 of the officereceiver is then inserted in the hole 69 of the plate of said push-button, and the receivers being disengaged from their hooks the bellcircuits will be cut out and the telephonecircuits cut in, as usual. If the guest desires to communicate with a guest in another room, he calls up the clerk and notifies him of the number of such room. The other guest is then called up, and the plugs 76 of one of the conductors '75 are placed by the clerk in the holes 69 of the plates 69 of such rooms. The guest then unhooks the receivers, and the telephones are cutin. (See Fig. 17.)

By my improved system any one or any number of guests may be automatically called at any predetermined time without the other guests being disturbed", and in case of fire all the guests may be called simultaneously.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In ahotel electric call apparatus, the combination with the clock, the dial having an annulus provided with holes, and the hourhand provided with a spring-con tact, the wire electrically connected with the hub of the hour-hand, and the battery connected with said wire, of the pins seated in said holes, the wires connected therewith, the cabinet, the time-pins,the flexible conductors having rings adapted to engage with said time-pins, the binding-posts with which said rings are connected, the annunciators electrically connected with said binding-posts, the hinged arms having annunciator-plates, the hinged armatures, the helices, the wires wound around the same and connected with a wire connected with a battery and with the terminal of a series of push-buttons, and the wire connecting the other terminal of said push-buttons with said binding-posts; substantially as described.

2. In a hotel call apparatus, the combination with the cabinet made in two sections hinged to each other, the clock, the dial having an annulus provided with equidistant holes, the hour-hand provided with a springcontact, the wire electrically connected with the hub of the hour-hand and with a battery, the pins located in said holes, the time-pins connected with the cabinet and electrically connected therewith, the flexible conductors having one end passing through a series of holes in the front of the cabinet and provided with rings adapted to engage with said timepins, the pulleys and weights connected with said conductors, and the binding-posts to which the other ends of said conductors are secured, of the spring-contacts secured to the rear section of the cabinet, the upper springcontacts electrically connected therewith, the annunciator-fram es, secured to the front section of the cabinet, and electrically connected with said spring-contacts, the hinged arms and annunciator-plates, the hinged armatures, the helices, the wires wound around the same and connected with a wire connected with a battery and with one terminal of a series of push-buttons, and the wires connected with the other-terminals of said push-buttons, and with said binding-posts; substantially as described.

3. In ahotel electric call apparatus,the combination with the cabinet, the clock, the dial having an annulus provided with equidistant holes, the hour-hand provided with a springcontact, the wire electrically connected with the hub of the hour-hand and with a battery, the pins seated in said holes, the time-pins electrically connected therewith, and secured to the cabinet, the flexible conductors passing through holes in the cabinet, having rings adapted to be connected with said time-pins, and the binding-posts with which said conductors are connected, of the upper and lower series of spring -contacts, the connections therewith, the annunciator-fraines electrically connected with said spring-contacts, the hinged arms and annunciator plates, the hinged arm atures,tl1e helices,the wires wound around the same, and connected with a wire connected with a battery and with one terminal of a series of puslrbuttons, the wires connected with the other terminals of the pushbuttons and with said binding-posts, the brass plates secured to said push-buttons and having holes adapted to receive the plug of a telephone-receiver; substantially as described.

4. In a hotel electric call apparatus,the combination with the cabinet, the clock, the dial having an annulus provided with a series of equidistant holes, the hour-hand provided with a spring-contact, the wire electrically connected with the hub of the hour-hand, and with a battery, the pins seated in said holes, the time-pins electrically connected therewith, secured to the front of the cabinet, the flexible conductors passing through holes in the cabinet and provided with rings adapted to engage with said time-pins, and the binding-posts to which said conductors are secured, of the electricallyconnected upper and lower spring-contacts, the annunciatorframes electrically connected therewith, the hinged arms and annunciator plates, the hinged armatures,the helices,the wires wound around the same and connected with a wire connected with a battery and with one terminal of a series of push-buttons, the wires connected with the other terminals of the pushbuttons and with said binding-posts,the brass plates,havingholes,connected with said pushbuttons, the shelf at the lower part of the cabinet provided with holes, the weighted flexible conductors having their ends passed through said holes, and the telephone-plugs secured to the ends of said conductors, and adapted to be inserted in the holes in said plates, substantially as described.

5. In a hotel call apparatus, the combination with the cabinet, the clock, the dial having an annulus provided with equidistant holes, the hour-hand provided with a springcontact, the wires electrically connected with the hub of the hour-han d and with a battery, the pinsseated in said holes,the time-pins electrically connected therewith, and secured to the front of the cabinet, the flexible conductors passing through holes in the cabinet, and provided at one end with rings adapted to engage with said tilne-pins, and the bindingposts to which the other ends of said conductors are secured, of the annunciator-frames electrically connected with said binding-posts the hinged arms and annunciator-plates, the hinged armatures, the helices, the wires wound therearound and connected with a wire connected with the annunciator-battery and with one terminal of a series of push-buttons, the wires connected with the other terminals of said push-buttons and with said bindingposts, the wires connected with said last-1nention ed terminals, the spring-contacts connected therewith, the conducting-bar hinged or pivoted to the cabinet, the wire connecting the same with the wire leading to the annunciator-battery, the coiled spring, the pin passing through the cabinet, and the glass plate secured to the front of the cabinet against which the said pin bears; substantially as described.

6. In a hotel electric call apparatus,the combination of the cabinet, the clock, the dial having an annulus provided with a series of equidistant holes, the hour-hand provided with a springcontact,the wire connected with the hub of the hour-hand and with one terminal of a battery, the buzzer connected with the other terminal of the battery, the wire connected with a call-bell in a room, the battery connected therewith and with a battery and call in another room or rooms, the switches, the push-buttons and the wires connected with said switches, the annunciator-helices around which said wires are wound and the wire connected therewith leading to the annunciator-battery and connected with one terminal of a series of push-buttons, the wires connected with the other terminals of said push-buttons, the bindingposts,the flexible conductors connected therewith passing through holes in the cabinet and provided with rings, the time-pins with which said rings are adapted to engage, the pins seated in the holes in the annulus and electrieallyconnected with the time-pins, and the cabinet-bell electrically connected with the annunciatorbattery and with the wire connecting the buzzer and room-call, and the telephones in the cabinet and rooms; substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' ALBERT B. CHANCE.

\Vitnesses MORRIS H. ARNOLD, A. L. 00X. 

